A brush fire that started in the range area of Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst led to the evacuation of homes in Pemberton Township’s Browns Mills community Wednesday afternoon.
The fire started on the ranges of Joint Base MDL and spread to the Browns Mills area off Pemberton Browns Mills Road. Officials evacuated a small number of isolated homes in the area as a precaution.
“Although the fire is still on the MDL range area, the decision to evacuate the homes was a precautionary measure taken by officials to ensure the safety of everyone in the area,” a spokesperson for the base wrote. “Joint Base officials are currently working closely with the New Jersey State Forest Service and the Burlington County Fire Department to contain and extinguish the fire.”
As of 6:30 p.m., officials had an estimated 25 percent containment on 40 acres. No injuries have been reported and so far there are no reports of structural damage. Pemberton, Browns Mills and Livingston roads are all closed as firefighters continue to fight the flames.
